Straw hue with aromas of mango, citrus, and a hint of vanilla.
Palate-- Tart first impression with subdued fruit. Nice acidic beam with a citrusy and juicy middle.
This previously reviewed Trader Joe's offering is a very inexpensive Riesling ($7) but has been quite enjoyable in the past. The last two bottles I have had have been less than expected based on the past. I think I will not be getting anymore of this vintage so I would let it pass!
Port wine gets a bad wrap! What's worse, is that some people I know have bought "Port" wine when in actuality they weren't buying real port wine at all. So as briefly as I can make it, "Real" Port wine is a "fortified" wine which I will explain in a second, that must come from Portugal! So anything you might see in your grocery store where the label says PORT but is from any country other than Portugal is not actually port wine. Real Port wine will often be labeled "Porto" or "Oporto" and originate from the Douro region of Portugal. But there are exceptions.
So what is it and what makes it so different? When the port wine grapes are being fermented the maker stops the fermentation BEFORE all the sugar from the fruit is converted to alcohol. In order to do this, the wine maker adds a high alcoholic liquid--usually brandy-- which kills the yeast which is gobbling up the sugar producing alcohol. With the yeast killed the residual sugar from the grapes remains yielding a very sweet wine. And because the brandy used to stop fermentation is high in alcohol, port wines are also higher in alcohol than a normal red wine, sometimes up to 22% alcohol.
In an exceptional growing year, a "vintage" is declared and makers may produce "Vintage Port." Vintage Port" is the highest quality of port there is and can run starting in the $25 range on release and just goes north from there. As a port ages, and Vintage ports need many years to reach their peak, can run well over $100 a bottle. And oh what an ethereal treat a good port is. Silky textured, immense, big bold, juicy flavors and while very sweet, the high alcohol, tannins, and acid make it an absolute delight to drink.
But well made ports in the $20 range are delightful as well and "Late Bottled Vintage port" (not to be confused with "Vintage Port") can be seductive, round, velvety, and spectacular in the $20-$35 range. What to serve with Ports? Blue cheese, Stilton, salty big cheeses, dark chocolate, flourless chocolate tarts, and really anything strong and sweet. But there are few things better than Port all by itself. Just make sure it is the real deal and raise a glass!
This may be a Trader Joe's exclusive. I have been buying this value "Port" for years and have never been disappointed. A bouquet of currants, ripe sun dried raisins and prunes are the routine aromas of this *"fortified" wine from Portugal.
Palate-Super sweet but nicely acidic to carry such intensity without being cloying. Intense raisiny, pruney front palate with loads of baker's chocolate, dried fruit and a decent texture for such an inexpensive Port.
At $6, this ruby Port is a fantastic accompaniment by itself or even more so with a variety of chocolates but my fave is DARK chocolate and makes you keep drinking and eating. At such an affordable price point, ($6) RAISE A GLASS!
Palate--unremarkable first impression, tannis, steely, angular, tightly wound with all the wonderful aromas in the bouquet rather lost on the palate.
This has been open for at least a half hour and if it's this austere at this point it may not ever come around. The bouquet is the best part of the wine at this stage but I will update when it has more time to open and dinner (tortellini's with an invented sauce by me). Stay tuned...
Okay, actually this wine was another "value" food wine that was very nice with my tortellini. For $6 you really can't beat this. Just make sure you serve it with something friendly to an acidic, italian wine and then "raise a glass!"
Very pale straw hue with aromas of Lime, sweet spring flowers, orange blossom
Palate--Fine bubbles on the palate, decent structure, pleasant fruity mid palate, and a finish that is quick but satisfying.
This is a Trader Joe's wine for around $6 and it can't be bit for the price. It is structured, fruity and pleasant. I have sparklers for many more times that price I didn't enjoy as much. I am pairing it with Chinese take out and it will be great so raise a glass!
Palate--Forthright first impression with a tannic backbone, dark fruit, a bit chunky, and needs to breathe. Considering the price point of this wine, it is drinkable with a tomato based pasta, three cheese raviolis which I will be serving tonight but it is a bit hard to drink by itself. It finishes quickly but should be OK with dinner.
This may be a Trader Joe's exclusive and at $5 it's worth a try. I won't be going back to it, but I'm glad I grabbed one.
Palate-An absolute explosion of a tropical fruit melange with sweet lime, ripe pineapple, and a structure that is gloriously close to perfect being razor sharp but integrated over all.
This is NOT a sweet wine as much as it is an "off dry" FRUITY wine. What makes a sweet wine is residual (meaning unfermented) sugar. Cheap white wines and even some red wines can be purposely made to be sweet by either adding sugar after fermentation or stopping fermentation before all the sugars are turned into alcohol which can be disgusting though popular to some. "White Zinfandel" would be one example of MANY. The Chenin Blanc grape--the signature grape of the Vouvray region of France, was co-opted in America and went through a very sad phase of being used for cheap jug wines.
This fantastic grape emerged decades later being respected for the wonderful, spicy, zesty, wonderful wine that it can be and while Vouvray sets the bar, many "new world" wineries around the globe are now making quality Chenin Blancs as well. At $10 this is a must buy and I will be serving it with our salty ham dinner which will be awesome. If there is any wine left when dinner comes out, "Raise a glass!"
Palate--unremarkable first impression structurally but pleasant fruit, of a gentle nature, a mellow foundation, and finishes quickly.
Having never heard of this wine and the label being of little help, I cannot find anything out about this wine on the internet. I am curious who makes it, what grapes are used and where in France it hails from. Strange!
I paid $7 for this Trader Joe's offering and perhaps it is made exclusively for them, I don't know. At any rate it is unremarkable, underwhelming, and yet drinkable. At $7--and not a penny more--it's okay.
Pretty crystalline-like hue with aromas of "pretty" aromas of sweet berries, cola, lightly sweet spice, and cherry/raspberry cream.
Palate- Steely first impression, tart with mouth watering acidity, stingy flavors finishing quickly.
"Cola" is not an ordinary aroma I associate with Nero d'Avola which is one of my prefered, inexpensive, old world productions. Typically is more cherry berry is with a gentler profile and easy drinking. But this is tight on opening so we'll give it some air time!
After an hour or so, this is a really nice food wine I paired with my homemade pasta and a creation from my mind consisting of bacon, garlic, onion, red wine reduction, heavy cream, anchovies, grated parmesan cheese and garlic bread. At $7 this is crazy good wine so raise a glass!
Lovely deep, dark nearly black hue with aromas of ripe currants, raisins, plum.
Palate-- Silky presence, with mouth watering, mouth filling flavors of plush, ripe late harvested raisins ripened by the sun, currants mid-palate, and finishing with a thickish texture of awesome dark fruit that lingers on and on and on.
My wife of 49 years bought me this for Valentine's Day and it is a wonderful treat. I adore oporto!
Normally I love porto by itself, with dark, semi-sweet chocolate, or, like tonight, we will be having dark chocolate, raspberry truffle ice cream and before having it I already know this is going to be heavenly.
At $25, it is a treat so go for it! Raise a glass!!!
Palate--Very nice first impression on the palate with a nice acidic foundation that is balanced and integrated flavors, and even a mild tannic pucker, all of which highlights gentle but definite strawberry happiness.
I reviewed this wine back in September and loved it then. I love it even more now I believe. This is the kind of wine you want to chill down, crack it open at pool-side with friends or on your sunny deck. It is great by itself or pair it with various mild or even sweet cheeses and fruit.
I will be parining it tonight with andouille sausage and shrimp with a a spicy rice jambalaya style. (BTW--it was quite perfect!)
At under $10 this is a no-brainer so buy a case to keep around and raise a galss!
Quite a nice intense hue with aromas of dark plum, blackberry with a bouquet of gently spiced fruit and oak.
Palate--*a minerally first impression, with awkward mid palate, confused fruit and structure tightly wound and not very pleasant.
(This wine was just opened and needs to breathe. There seems to be potential here but out of the gate it is not impressive. I expect this to change.)
*After some "air time" and having with my dinner it is indeed a much better wine. And while I have written before regarding "food wines" versus "quaffing wines" (wines being drunk by themselves) it bears repeating. There are structural differences between the two styles of wine. With food wines, both the wine and food is enhanced by each other. Quaffing wines may be excellent with food but are also excellent sipping them all by themselves. And of course there are exceptions in both directions but this is the nut shell version.
Bold pour with dark purple hue and aromas of sweet candied dark fruit above the rim with ripe blackberry and plum on sweet and savory spices.
Palate--Fruit forward first impression on a supple foundation with intense dark fruit flavors that are juicy and flavorful. Finishes fairly decent and lasting.
I grabbed this "sourced" wine because it was a label I had never seen and I have a good friend who lives in Estero albeit on the opposite coast from California. I am going to guess this is a blend of Syrah perhaps, Cabernet sauvignon and/or Petite Sirah. Since I could not find information on what the blend is, I would say this is an approximation of what these grapes would taste like.
A Trader Joe's value at $8 and if you enjoy a fruit bomb kind of wine, which I do under the right circumstances, then I say, "Raise a glass!"
Lighter hued, thinner looking garnet with Cherry/strawberry above the rim and deep[er in the bowl really nice deeper darker spicy berry fruit.
Palate--Impressive beginning with integrated berry goodness, lovely structure, balanced fruit, acid, tannins, which all come together harmoniously with nothing but Zinfandel goodness throughout. Finish lingers a good bit and presses your senses to go back for another mouthful.
This was on sale at Trader Joe's for $10 which is $4-$5 less than usual. It is the best Cone Zin I have had in a few years and I will we pairing it with one of our favorite dishes called a French onion tart. (Think "pizza dough with a sour cream and cottage cheese mixture mixed in with thinly sliced whole onion, then spread over a pizza dough and covered--COVERED--with bacon...) It is pure happiness so raise a glass!
Palate--Lively impression with a minerally, melange of tropical fruit, melon, a hint of vanilla, and a slightly lip- smacking finish which is a nice ending for an off dry white wine!
This wine is generally a nice value. Not sure why this bottle is lack luster. It's still worth taking a chance for less than $10. Paired it with cajun spiced pork loin chunks sauteed with dried fruit, and rice pilaf.
A burgundy-red hue with aromas of spicy black berry and dark cherry preserves. A very nice perfumey sweet enticing bouquet above the rim.
Palate--Nice first impression with dark, brooding fruit on a very nice foundation and decent tannic structure. Finishes quickly.
I was leary of grabbing this at the $8 price point but am glad I did. This is a decent Cotes Du Rhone wine from a producer I am not familiar with but should be! Pairing it with charcoal grilled pork chops so raise a glass!
BTW This is a Trader Joe's selection...
Lighter ruby hue with lovely aromas of summer berries, and candied fruit squares with a raspberry touch.
Palate--Nice first impression, with loads of strawberry, raspberry behind that, on a lovely structured foundation that makes it way too easy to drink and want to go back for more.
This is certainly not a fantastic example of the storied Pinot Noir, but then again I didn't pay $300 for it. At $12 it is a pleasant quaff which would be nice chilled or served as I am to pair with a baked salmon Valentine's dinner for my bride of almost 50 years. Raise a glass!
Intense nearly black, dark hue with big aromas of ripe blackberries, with sweet candied black cherry bon bons; cocoa? lovely bouquet!
Palate--Nice first impression out of the gate with bold spicy, dark berry fruit with a pronounced steely rear palate, loads of terroir, and a decent finish that lingers a while.
This S. France is a GSM blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre,) grapes and is a crazy bargain at the $12 price point. Previously reviewed with fairly consistent qualities. Baked chicken with garden vegetables will be lovely with this wine. Raise a glass!
Palate--Drinkable and enjoyable even at this young age, with loads of fruit and a structure to give it some class.
This is another of one of my favorite value wines (previously reviewed) for $10 and it tastes like a wine costing considerably more. This is a Trader Joe's offering and I have had many bottles of this along with their Zinfandel which I haven't seen in their stores ina good while.
Having left-over Ziti and this will be another winner! Raise a glass!
Magenta hue with aromas of spicey dark berry and an aroma of pickled cucumber which is a first for this often reviewed wine...
Palate--A bit subdue from what I am used to with this wine with spiced berry, integrated, flavors carry through and finishes with a burst of Zinfandel goodness!
I have drunk many bottles of this value Zin. At around $8-$10 a bottle you really can't do much better. Grilling out in February in Maine winter, and will have BBQ'd pork chops and it will be great! Raise a glass!
Palate--Robust first impression with lots going on with dark berries, savory spice, and a finish that hangs on for a good while!
This previously reviewed "Cotes Du Rhône Villages" by the talented folks at Brotte winery is a lovely creation that is juicy, tart raspberry, and full of great flavors. I know I didn't pay the $25 reference price on this wine but it is a solid wine at that price. So finding it at half that is even more fun. Raise a glass.
Palate--Nice structure, lovely, classic Sangiovese "cherry", with balanced spices. Fades pretty quickly.
I have had cases and cases of Chianti's from this great producer. Having tasted this wine in its home of origin will stay with me til I die. There are several level of productions from Querceto and each one is a great value. Pairing it with baked Ziti--a wonderful comfort food pairing on a savage Maine winter night where temperatures will hit around 17 degrees below zero fahrenheit.
I paid around $12 for this and I will be buying more when I have the opportunity. Raise a glass!
Pale straw hue with aromas of peach, apricot, pineapple, an a hint of lime!
Palate--Scintillating *"spritzig" on the tongue, with a less than stellar acidity although adequate. Ample flavors of stone fruit and tropical fruits. Super quick minerally finish.
This Washington state Gewurz is not the best Ste. Michelle has made. This is tepid both in structure and complexity and the palate profile is weak. It is still tasty, (because I am a big fan of the grape) but this one would be better served chilled down as an aperitif rather than as a food wine.
Even at $9 I would pass on this particular vintage but Ste. Michelle makes solid, quality wine over all so give them another chance!
*spritzig is German for sparkling (natural carbonation)
I am finding that I find it difficult to get to my own blog on my cell phones or computer using a search engine. I would really appreciate some of you telling me how you access my blog. You should be able to reply here. Thank you in advance! PB of the Winecaskblog
Palate--*On opening--Silky, slightly tart, watery, thin texture, with austere fruit that is tightly wound.
*After 90 minutes of breathing it is a delicious Zin with cranberry juice and a nice strawberry beam finishing with gentle black pepper at the very end...
*This wine has been open for only a couple minutes and needs to BREATH! I am confident it will be a totally different wine when it has been given some time! And I was right. This is found at the $25 price point which is a bit hefty for the wine but it's a nice Zin and a nice gift from a friend. Raise a glass.
*Palate--Tart first impression, with subdued fruit all around, one dimensional, flat mid palate.
Well, this happens and it is disappointing when it does. The bouquet of this wine is quite enticing but unfortunately, sometimes a wine seems to give everything it had to the bouquet and leaves the palate high and dry. It is possible that it will open up and improve with breathing but I am not optimistic.
This wine is from Kosovo which is why I bought it. You just don't see many wines from this part of the world. It has been aged for a year in French oak but it didn't help this wine at this point. With the slight bricking at this relatively young age, any contribution from the oak has been lost.
*I will update this when has had time to breath.
After giving it a day, even before we were done with dinner the previous night the wine was better as a "food" wine. Tasting it about 20 hours later, this wine reminds me of a Tuscan Sangiovese.
The wine is still rather acidic but it works with the right pairing. I just took a taste with a piece of aged Gouda and it works really well. So for a country that isn't known for its export wine industry, for the price of around $8 I would recommend giving it a try. It is at least a different wine experience. Raise a glass!
Palate--"*Sweet" first impression with spicy, delicious red fruits, a well done structure, lip smacking acidity and a pleasant but quick finish.
The Languedoc-Rousillion region is one of the best wine values in France. The wines are fruity, well balanced, have character and gives you a big bang for the buck!
I think I paid about $12 (if that) for this really beautiful bargain so raise a glass!
*In this case "Sweet" does not mean sweet. I emphasize this because many do not like "sweet" wines but a truly sweet wine means it has residual sugar which has not been converted to alcohol. This is a well made quaff from Southern France
Pretty Garnet hue with aromas of cherry, sweet cherry hard candies above the rim, gentle sweet spices. (Needs to breath)
Palate--Lovely first impression with a nice balanced acidic foundation which catapults the brimming flavors of ripe raspberry and cherry filling the mouth. Finishes quickly but again, breathing may enhance this.
This is one of those "buy more now" kinds of value wines that are much better than their price tag (under $10)
This will only get better with some air time so open it, breathe it, and raise a glass!
(check previous review of same wine from a couple months ago.)
Palate--Nice bold mouthfeel, big blackberry flavors which seem to end quickly but that could be my convalescing palate post covid.
Petite Sirah, not to be confused with Syrah, is a very dark, very big fruity grape which is often used as a blending grape but also stands on its own when done in balance. Petite Verdot is classic blending grape of Bordeaux and imparts an intense, deep blackish-purple hue. There has been some "trials" in the past few years by wineries putting Petite Verdot as a varietal meaning bottling it on its own merits. It hasn't caught on (yet) but can be an interesting quaff.
I think I paid about $8 for this youngster and for the price it is ok if you like the big, bold fruit bomb kinds of wine which I do when paired properly. This one will be going with our home-made italian sausage soup and it will be just fine so raise a glass!
Drinking wine without thought or discrimination can be done and at time should be done. Just "enjoy" what you're drinking and if you're not enjoying it, dump it! "Life is too short to drink bad wine."
So my smeller/taster is recovering but it has a ways to go yet. Thanks for your loyal patience! Raise a glass!
As many of you know I am sure that one of the symptoms of Covid is a loss of smell/taste. Alas--My smeller is out of commission. For some people they regain their senses of smell and taste in a few days, for others it may be several months. Hopefully mine will be short lived.
Until then--raise a glass!
Very pretty light crystalline ruby hue resembling a gorgeously polished gem stone. Aromas of unique subtle milk chocolate with a definite citrus (grapefruit) on the edges, with a raspberry/strawberry beam.
Palate--Structured elegantly with a balanced presentation of the aromas, now to the tongue. It is juicy, with a stately palate not normally found in this level of wine. This is not your average Pinot and I believe will yield more when it breathes. Finishes quickly for now... Raise a glass!
Palate--Bright red berries with start structure, tar, hint of espresso at the back and nice fruit through out with that green edge and a touch of burnt wood.
Montes is a notable Chilean vintner with solid production of Cabernets. This one is a blend with 30% Carmenere fruit from the Colchagua Valley.
This is a tasty creation form Montes and the blend is well done! I paid around $12 for it and it will pair well with our BBQ'd chicken on the grill so raise a glass!
Rusty garnet hue is just starting to show some aging. Plum with ripe red berry and blackberry notes with gentle spices.
Palate--Rather flat first impression, with a soury/tart front palate, lip smacking dry as dust tannins, and super quick finish.
This is not a great Spanish wine. I paid around $6 for this closeout wine and it needs to be closed out!
Pass this one by!
Lighter garnet hue with nice aromas of ruby red grapefruit, perfumey violet, sweet and tart pie cherry hint.
Palate-- Lovely first impression with a nice tartness and integrated flavors of luscious red berries, cherry cream, with a finish that lingers and leaves a nice "drink me more" ending. This is a distinctive Zin with the characteristic of giving one a fresh "first impression."
This was a present from a friend--a fellow oenophile-- who knows my love of Zinfandel and is much appreciated.
Around $20, this is nice treat so raise a glass!
Intense nearly black purple hue with aromas of something I have no descriptor for; it's something like dark berries and plum and bing cherries all rolled into one. Sweet cherry berry dark chocolate candy cordials with sweet baking spices and spiced apples you have at Thanksgiving.
Palate--Textured like thick silk, glorious ultra pure sweet fruit of ripe black plum, and a lingering finish that goes on and on and on. Marvelous!
I don't remember what I paid for this but I believe it was only around $16 and what a great find!
Pairing it with Christmas plum pudding! Raise a glass for sure!!!
Light golden hue with aromas of perfumy honeysuckle, orange, and numerous tropical fruits with a hint of citrus. Lovely!
Palate--Mouth filling flavors of all the things in the bouquet with a great razor sharp acidity on an ultra fruity foundation. Finishes a little quick but reminds you to go back for more!
This has never seen oak and is absolutely lovely even at this late age for what would be a production level table wine. A 10 year old chard at the price point I paid is absurd, but then I find that most assessments of how long a wine will last are woefully lacking.
I have had this for a few years and I think I paid around $10 for it though I see it on line closer to $15. This is a serious Chard, well made and a ridiculous value.
I am pairing it on this new year's eve with a seafood chowder consisting of Maine Lobster, Maine scallops, and wild caught Gulf shrimp. If you can find this, it has years left on it so raise a glass and remember that for all the crazies in the world today, there is a Creator who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent and is utterly in control. His ways are not our ways He tells us in the book of Isaiah, so raise a glass!
Pours like a two year old wine with a very young hue with residual purple on a garnet frame. Aromas of nice black berry and red berry bouquet with yeasty notes.
Palate--A tart first impression with a subdued mid palate with light berry flavors on an awkward foundation finishing quickly.
What is DOC on the title line? It tells you a lot about the wine in general. DOC is the lowest categorization that many wines can have depending on the laws of any given area of the world. They all differ. What this means here is that all the fruit in this wine are sourced from all over the Mendoza region of Argentina. That isn't "necessarily" bad it just means that the wine is table wine quality meaning everyday economical drinking for the most part.
I paid $9 for this bottle which usually runs around $14. It is not up to the standard of Norton which is generally well made, economical wines. This one is a pass! But Norton is a solid maker so try another!
Let's get one thing straight, There are a zillion "sparkling" wines but only ones made from the grapes of Champagne, France are actually "Champagne!" All others from all over the world are just "Sparkling wines."
Now about New Years Eve and popping those corks: Call them bubbly, or sparklers, but NOT Champagne.
Okay now that, that is out of the way, what about that big celebratory POP that people love to do when they open their gassy wines? First of all, the proper way to open a sparkling wine of any type is to place a towel over the cork and slowly work the cork out of the wine bottle until it is nearly to the point where it will POP. Take your dominant hand while still holding the towel over the wine bottle and ever so gently maintain pressure DOWN on the cork while at the same time you are twisting the very secured cork under the towel back and forth and the goal is to actually release the gas with a nearly silent psssst! THAT is how you remove a cork.
Now this is very practical! You may not care opening that $10 bottle of bubbly and losing half the bottle of wine to the floor as it explodes shooting your wine into oblivion. But when you have a more pricey of bottle of bubbly or a $50+ bottle of Champagne, and you waste half a bottle in a showy explosion you may think differently about that POP.
There is one exception to this sound advice and that is if your bubbly is "Barefoot Bubbly" by all means shoot it all over the place but in your mouth... Raise a glass!
Crystalline light golden hue with aromas of tropical fruit salad with a beam of citrus, and stone fruit
Palate--Tropical fruit galore with a buttery mid-palate, and finishing with still more fruit and more! Structurally sound with creamy mouthfeel and a long lasting finish that goes on and on and on!
This is a really super Chardonnay around the $15 price point and it is a BARGAIN! It is super fruity making it wonderful as an aperitif but because it is dry even though it tastes sweet, it will do right by my menu for this evening.
I will be pairing it with bacon fat sauteed Maine scallops, and a rice pilaf. This is a pretty easy to find wine so GRAB one and try it out. Really nice--but I think I said that already... Raise a glass!
Pronounced ruby hue with aromas of raspberry, and gentle spices on the rim.
Palate--Tart first impression with mineral beam, razor sharp acidity, austere first impression and this after breathing it for several hours. It finishes with a nice Montepulciano reminder and lingers for a bit.
*I had a glass breathing on the counter for 3 hours and that is the above review. I just re-reviewed it with a fresh pour from the bottle and it sports a bit of cherry, with the acidity toning down a touch with a richer beam of varietal flavor mid palate. This is odd in my many decades of experience. *I am thinking this will be a much better wine with food when I pair it in a while with grilled Prime sirloin steaks, double baked potatoes, and home grown green beans.
*It was indeed very nice with my grilled sirloins accentuating the grilled char, while toning down the bitterness of said char.
$20 seems to be the price point on this wine. Raise a glass!
Brilliant ruby hue with a bouquet of bread yeast, bright summer black cherries, cocoa, chocolate covered cherries, and savory spice.
Palate--Big bold, fruit with lots of complexity in this very nice GSM blend. Plenty of savory red berry relish, but has a surprisingly quick finish.
This is a really nice Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre (GSM) blend for the money. I may have paid $12 for it and it's a winner at that price! If you find it, grab it and buy several. This will be around for several more years and only getting better. Raise a glass!
Palate--Lots of fruit upfront, with a steely edge, bold, big mid palate with tons of blackberry jam and a finish that is fleeting. (This is upon opening and needs some time to open up. *Check back...)
*After an hour: Loads of dark berry fruit, a beam of something like dark baker's chocolate, and still a quick finish.
I reviewed this (a different bottle) at the beginning of the month not realizing I had done so. The aging mind is frustrating... LOL! This Zin, with fruit from Lake County is supercharged with an alcohol level of 15.9% which is crazy over the top!
After I reviewed this I checked on line for a price point since I paid $7 for it. It is listed at $25-$35 which is nuts! And while I respect the folks at the Wine Enthusiast I take great exception at their 92 point rating. I would give it an 88 which is vastly different than their score.
At any rate, I would not want to pay anywhere near the "list price" for this wine but at $7 I love it!
I am pairing it with a French onion tart made with loads of smoky bacon, cottage cheese and sour cream on pizza dough. One of my wife's favorites. At that price raise a glass!
Palate--A bit weak on first impression with a lack luster structure although the acidity does seem to escalate as you swish. Off dry with a melange of tropical fruit flavors but the structure is wanting in this Chenin. *Unusual considering the people who made it...
*24 hours later, A slightly creamy touch in texture, loads of fruit and vanilla and a lingering finish. In my arena of preference, I love my whites to have a razor sharp acidity. This one is not but it is also not flawed or poorly made. In the end it comes around and is a lovely Chenin--another really under-rated wine grape.
I don't recall what I paid for it but I expect it was around $13 and you haven't tried many or any Chenin Blancs, you are depriving yourself of a great wine that pairs well with Asian, Indian, cuisine. Raise a glass!
If you are more the planner, remember this when pairing wine with meals, appetizers or whatever. Instead of thinking red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat and seafood, and what about vegetarian or those cheesy appetizers?
Change your focus from the old red with red, white with white etc. Instead think more of the sauces being served with the courses, and the spices being prominent with them all. For example if you were serving an asian type of chicken dish, your typical white wine would be horrid. Asian spices need something sweet to offset the heat and intensity of the typical spices. If you don't, the Chardonnay will taste horrible and the meal will as well. Asian spices must be served with sweeter or "off-dry" varietals and blends like Reisling, or Gewurztraminer. These will mitigate the "heat" of asian and even mexican type spices. The possibilities are many.
Vegetarian dishes do well with a variety of wines, both read and white as well as sparkling wines. Again, think in terms of what spices will be prominent in your vegetarian dishes. And don't overlook the resurgence of rosés from all over the world.
Bleu cheese with those appetizers? Another sweeter wine will offset the saltiness of the bleu cheese and make both taste wonderful.
Finally--sparkling wines from all over the world are inexpensive and pair well with
"almost" anything. Just avoid the highly advertised wines like "Barefoot" and a myriad bunch you only see advertised this time of year. For just $2-5 more a bottle you can get "real" wine that has some character and will enhance your hard preparations.
If in doubt, shoot me a question!
Slightly brickish red with aromas of sweet cherry berry above the rim a touch of coca in the glass with loads of spicy goodness.
Palate--presents with a slightly steely front and a subdued structure which at first seems lackluster but emerges with breathing. Solid cherry berry fruit on the tongue with a nicely balanced structure. Finishes fairly quick but leaves a desire for another sip.
This Portuguese creation is rather nice and agreeable in an overall way. There's more subtleties emerging as the wine opens. This is a food friendly wine and is a stand alone by itself as well. It is a blend of 10 grapes which can usually hurt the wine but this is a rare exception. At $10 Raise a Glass!!!
*A day later: wonderfully integrated, balanced, supple and delicious!!!
Crystalline straw hue with nice aromas of vanilla, clover honey, and lovely stone fruit.
Palate--Mouth filling flavors, with a nice structure, nicely acidic down the middle, peaches, apricots and and a hint of citrus.
This is a nicely made Chardonnay that delivers a lot of class for money. At the $15 price point and is being paired with my wife's seafood chowder. It will be perfect. So raise a glass!
Purple hue with bounding aromas of ripe red berry fruit and a touch of sweet spice with a note of savory with the subtle lift of stewed tomatoes.
Palate--Fruit forward with loads of berries, and an immature structure giving an angular first impression. More berries come through after the swallow and a lingering pleasure of yet more red fruit.
Alamos is one of the successful Argentinian vintners who seem to have mastered the popular profile whatever wines they make. The signature grape of Malbec is always done well, and they have made strides in Cabernet Sauvignon as well. This wine is majority Malbec. At $8, it's tasty and goes well with my grilled steak tonight so raise a glass!
A lovely orange/gold hue with aromas on opening of summer peaches, fading to fresh green apples, and burnt orange with notes of vanilla and caramel.
Palate--A rather flabby structure with lethargic bubbles which disappear quickly. Mid palate is weak as is the rest of the wine.
Not sure what I paid for this but I see it on line for a lot more than what I know I would have paid for it. The bouquet is the only thing this has going for it.
I believe this is from the Loire region of France from which comes some really great value wines. This however is not one of them. It is okay for my wife and me as we decorate our Christmas tree but this is one to pass up!
Do you plan ahead for your festive meals, celebrations and get-togethers with respect to what beverages to serve or do you just wing it?
If you are more the planner, remember this when pairing wine with meals, appetizers or whatever. Instead of thinking red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat and seafood, and what about vegetarian or those cheesy appetizers?
Change your focus from the old red with red, white with white etc. Instead think more of the sauces being served with the courses, and the spices being prominent with them all. For example if you were serving an asian type of chicken dish, your typical white wine would be horrid. Asian spices need something sweet to offset the heat and intensity of the typical spices. If you don't, the Chardonnay will taste horrible and the meal will as well. Asian spices must be served with sweeter or "off-dry" varietals and blends like Reisling, or Gewurztraminer. These will mitigate the "heat" of asian and even mexican type spices. The possibilities are many.
Vegetarian dishes do well with a variety of wines, both read and white as well as sparkling wines. Again, think in terms of what spices will be prominent in your vegetarian dishes. And don't overlook the resurgence of rosés from all over the world.
Bleu cheese with those appetizers? Another sweeter wine will offset the saltiness of the bleu cheese and make both taste wonderful.
Finally--sparkling wines from all over the world are inexpensive and pair well with
"almost" anything. Just avoid the highly advertised wines like "Barefoot" and a myriad bunch you only see advertised this time of year. For just $2-5 more a bottle you can get "real" wine that has some character and will enhance your hard preparations.
If in doubt, shoot me a question!
On the pour the hue is an intense purple nearly black. That alone lead me to a Syrah and/or Petite Sirah/Zinfandel blend. Intense dark berry aromas with violets, and plum.
Palate--Silky first impression with gobs of jammy dark berry fruit, ripe plum and a hint of cinnamon. It lingers on the finish.
Their flavor profile on the label was nothing like my own tasting. At any rate, this is a 20 megaton fruit bomb and well made as I would expect from Sebastiani. When I began my oenophilic exploration/education back in 1978, Sebastiani was one of my favorite producers. They were always reliable, and produced a great value wine that had character and style. My current location for the past 33 years however, is a rural state and I basically never see Sebastiani wines here in Maine.
I picked this one up at a New Hampshire liquor store. This will carry on for years and is full of rich berry flavors. How I wish Sebastiani were present in our fair state of Maine. :(
I will be pairing this with my wife's homemade turkey pie as we try and kill the left-overs of Thanksgiving. Raise a glass!
Slightly bricked red hue with aromas of yeasty crust of bread, cherry.
Palate--Austere with a harsh presence, staid fruit with an acidity that will seer your taste buds... Finishes abruptly.
This is NOT what I am used to with what is one of my favorite "simple" Italian wines. This, the signature grape of Sicily is a delightful, straight forward wine with brimming cherry flavors and occasionally red hots candies.
Holy pucker city! I'll see if airing this out helps but right now it is not very pleasant.
Dark garnet with aromas of milk chocolate, classic Zin bouquet, with dark fruit, cinnamon on opening but exits quickly
Palate--OK Zin flavors, with jammy dark berry fruit, zesty savory spice and a slightly lingering finish with another touch of cocoa.
I paid $7 for this on a close out and it's ok at that price. The regular price was supposedly around $20. I wouldn't want to pay that for this wine but at $7 I'll take it all day.
A few wine makers are experimenting with bourbon barrels for aging their wine. It definitely changes the profile and the few I have had I tend to like the change. But give me conventionally well made Zin any time!
I am pairing this with a moose dish tonight It is what we do in Maine so raise a glass!
